Hot Weather Grips Cary – Stay Safe

Story by Hal Goodtree | July 6, 2010 | Tags: News, weather

By Hal Goodtree

Cary, NC – With triple digit temperatures and a Code Orange Ozone Alert for the Triangle on Wednesday, now is a good time to review some best practices for beating the heat.

Drink Water - If you’ll be spending time outside, drink plenty of water. Plenty. Like a quart every hour. Dehydration can be serious or even fatal, and it can wreak its fury in a short time on a hot day.

Don’t Leave Pets or Kids Waiting in the Car – It seems obvious, but don’t leave pets or kids (or anyone) waiting in the car for even a short period of time during days of extreme heat.

Signs of Dehydration and Heat Exhaustion – Watch for signs that something is wrong:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Lethargy
• Confusion

Experts advise drinking a quart of water immediately. If the signs of distress don’t go away within about 20 minutes, visit a health professional right away.

Stay Indoors – Young children, old folks and anyone with a breathing or heart condition is strongly advised to stay indoors tomorrow. It’s not just the heat – dangerously high levels of ozone are expected on Wednesday. From state health authorities:

The North Carolina department of environmental and natural resources in Raleigh NC has issued a code Orange air quality action day for ground level ozone…in effect from 6 am to 9 PM EDT Wednesday.

An air quality action day means that ground level ozone concentrations within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards. For additional information…please visit the North Carolina division of air quality web site at www.Ncair.Org/airaware/forecast/.

Water Restrictions

Just a reminder: Cary has year-round water restrictions. Odd numbered houses can water with a sprinkler on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Even numbered houses can water on Wednesday, Fridays and Sundays. Hand-watering is okay any day.

Do what I’m doing: let the lawn die. Or, as my optimistic gardening friends tell me, let it “go dormant.”

Cary has a dependable water supply, but no one knows when the heat will abate or the rain clouds materialize. Do your part to conserve water during this heat wave.

Relief on the Way?

Wednesday’s high is predicted to be 102. Thursday may bring some slightly cooler air and highs in the mid-90′s.